Guide for detachably mounting on a stave or a heddle frame for a loom



Jan. 28, 1969 B. R. KOCH GUIDE FOR DETACHABL HEDDLE FRAME FOR A LOOM Y MOUNTING ON A STAVE OR Sheet Filed March 24, 1967 B. R. KOCH 3,424,205 GUIDE FOR DETACHABLY MOUNTING ON A STAVE OR A Jan. 28, 1969 HEDDLE FRAME FOR A LOOM Sheet Filed March 24, 1967 United States Patent 3,424,205 GUIDE FOR DETACHABLY MOUNTING ON A STAVE OR A HEDDLE FRAME FOR A LOOM Bernhard Robert Koch, Horgenberg, Switzerland, assignor to Grob & Co., Aktiengesellschaft, Zurich, Switzerland Filed Mar. 24, 1967, Ser. No. 625,646 Claims priority, application Switzerland, Apr. 4, 1966,

4,904/ 66 US. Cl. 139-91 Claims Int. Cl. D03c 9/06, 13/00 ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE In a loom, the heddle frames have to be raised and lowered by the shedding mechanism (dobby or the like) in accordance with the weaving pattern. The distance between the longitudinal centre lines of adjacent frames, known as the pitch of the harness, usually equals the distance between operative partssuch as jack leversof the shedding mechanism. However, the shedding mechanism often only determines the overall depth of the harness and the pitch between the individual frames can vary within narrow limits.

So that the pitch of the harness between individual frame staves can be kept as near constant as possible, the heddle frames have lateral supports the thickness of which is only slightly less than the pitch of the harness. The same purpose is served by arranging the lateral supports to run in laterally disposed guides or by drive units acting on the heddle frames and held at an adequate distance from each other to produce the pitch of the harness.

The two lateral supports of a heddle frame are joined by the upper and lower frame staves the upper heddlecarrying rod being suspended from the upper stave and the lower heddle-carrying rod being held above the lower stave. In order to prevent the frame staves on adjacent heddle frames from rubbing each other when the shed changes, the frame staves are usually thinner than the lateral supports. Given, for example, a pitch of the harness of 10 or 12 millimetres, the stave thickness recommended by the International Standards Organisation (1.8.0.) is 8 or 9 millimeters. This leaves a distance between t-he stave of 2 or 3 millimetres.

Looms with a large reedspace require long heddle staves, and in order to preserve the correct pitch of the harness over the full length of the heddle staves it becomes necessary to provide guides at positions intermediate the ends of the staves. Such guides for heddle frames are known and take various forms. A well known and elementary guide comprises a wood plate of approximately the same thickness as the lateral supports. This plate is formed with a slot corresponding approximately to the cross-sectional shape of the frame stave, and is placed on the stave and glued to it. Such a guide fulfills two essential requirements, namely that its thickness corresponds approximately to that of the lateral supports thereby avoiding the possibility of the staves on adjacent heddles knocking each other, and at the same time they also guide the staves during the entire shedding motion because they protnude above or below the stave (as the Patented Jan. 28, 1969 case may be), to such an extent that the maximum possible shed opening leaves the guides of adjacent heddle frames in contact with each other. On the other hand, these glued on guides have the disadvantage that they cannot be removed from the frame stave nor moved along it nor replaced without destroying them.

Furthermore it has been proposed to attach guide pieces made of wedge shaped pieces of metal to the ends of the frame staves these being fixed to the outer or inner side of the staves. Here one is concerned not with subsequently attachable guide pieces but of pieces that are present to begin with, firmly and undisplaceably attached guide pieces which are ineffective in broad heddle frames, as they cannot be attached in the centre. These known Wedges are only effective just at the moment of the run-up, whereas they are no longer useful in the later course of the shedding. At the same time the wedges run up and down on the nearby staves and Wear them down. The said wedges are quite useless whenas is usual in modern heddle frames-the lateral supports are thicker than the frame staves.

Another kind of guide comprises a plate made of antifriction material. This plate is provided with one of various kinds of clamping devices whereby it can be clamped onto its stave, and by activating the clamping device, the guide can be fixed firmly at the desired position along the length of the frame stave. .But this type of guide requires the provision of some kind of profile formation on the stave (usually along the outside edge). Furthermore, the guided has to be threaded onto the retaining profile of the frame stave by pushing it along the stave from one end, or else recesses have to be formed in the stave which add to the cost and reduce the strength of the stave. A further disadvantage of this known type of stave guide is that its gliding surfaces cannot extend over the width of the frame stave towards the inside edge, because as soon as lateral thrust is exerted on the part of the guide which projects from the outside of the stave, by an adjacent heddle frame, the inner parts of the guide are lifted away from the stavethe guide rocking on its connection with the outside edge of the stave. But since the gap between frame staves on adjacent heddles may be only 1 or 1.5 millimetres, any such lifting of parts of the guide is likely to cause damage either to the guide or an adjacent heddle frame.

Guidelike clips of, for example, steel spring strip are also known, which can be put astride over the frame staves. Their dents at the lower end include the radius on the inner edge of the stave, to a small extent, and

thereby hold the guide in the desired position. But such clips have the disadvantage that the vibration of the frame stave during weaving causes them to be displaced longitudinally. As soon as the guides on adjacent heddles are no longer opposite each other they can no longer fulfill their task. This is also the case when the heddle frames, in the open shed position are raised more than the height of the staves or the clips set on them.

According to this invention a detachable guide for fitting on the stave of a heddle frame comprises a pair of parallel guide plates connected together and provided with resilient legs which form extensions of the guide plates and whose outside faces lie in the same planes as the outside faces of their respective guide plates, the legs being formed with inturned feet so that the legs have to be forced apart to fit the guide over a stave, and when the guide is in position on a stave, the feet clasp the in side edge of the frame stave whilst the connected parts of the guide plates are on the outside of the stave, there being also a resilient fastening device adapted to exert pressure on the outside edge of the stave.

A guide in accordance with the invention can be made to extend over the full depth of the stave on which it is to be fitted and can also project to the desired extent outside (i.e. above or below as the case may be) the frame stave.

Two constructions each in accordance with the invention will now be described by Way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a front view of a guide in position on a frame stave;

FIG. 2 is an end view of the guide on its frame stave shown in FIG. 1, with an adjacent stave and guide alongside;

FIG. 3 is an enlarged detail of part of FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a view of part of the guide looking in the same direction as FIG. 1 but showing the position of certain parts when the guide is detached from its frame stave; and

FIG. 5 is a view similar to FIG. 1, but showing an alternative construction.

Referring to FIGURES 1 to 4, the stave of a heddle frame is indicated at 1, it has the usual narrow rectangular cross-section with rounded edges. A heddle carrying rod 2 is supported from the frame stave 1 by means not shown and heddles 3 are threaded onto the rod 2 in conventional manner. There are, of course, upper and lower staves connected at their ends by lateral supports, but as this is a conventional arrangement the lower frame stave and the lateral supports are not shown. A guide 4 is provided, and can be placed astride the frame stave at any desired position along the length of the stave.

The guide 4 has two side plates 5 and 6, formed complementary to each other, and preferably made out of spring steel strip. The two plates 5 and 6 in their upper regions are spaced apart by distance pieces 7, 8 and 9, but they are fixed together in this region by welding or in any other convenient manner. An anti-friction sheet 10 is fastened to the front face of the front guide plate 5.

A spring steel strip 11 (which provides a fastening device) is stretched around the distance pieces 7, 8 and 9, between the side plates and the ends 13, 14 of this strip meet each other in the region of the top distance piece 7. At each end, the strip 11 is reduced to complementary half widths which are curled round and cling to the top of the distance piece 7 and lie side by side. By inserting a suitable tool, the ends 13 and 14 of the strip can be prised off the distance piece 7 to remove the strip 11 if required for replacement.

The lower extensions of the guide plates 5 and 6 form legs which fit against the flanks of the stave when in position. Each leg is formed with an inturned foot 15, 16 which extends across approximately half the width of the guide plate, the two feet being for-med on opposite halves of the plates so that they are not directly opposite each other. The feet 15, 16 are bent through more than 91) from their respective legs (see FIGURE 3) and thus grasp the lower edge of the stave firmly from opposite sides when in position. The remainder of the lower portion of each leg projects below the stave to provide tongues 17 and 18 serving as a hand or finger grip.

A friction grip 19 (or glide protector) is carried by the part of the strip 11 which extends between the distance pieces 8 and 9. This grip 19 is made of rubber or similar resilient material and when the guide 4 is snapped onto a frame stave 1, the grip 19 is pressed by the strip 11 onto the top edge of the frame stave. The stave is then gripped between the feet 15, 16 and the grip 19 and is prevented from slipping along the stave by the friction between the grip 19 and the stave.

FIGURE 2 shows the manner in which two guides 4 and 4 fixed on the staves of adjacent heddle frames rub against each other to maintain the correct pitch of the harness. This FIG. 2 shows clearly that the guide 4' with its lower part in the region of frame stave 1 when the warp shed is open, lies against the upper end of the guide 4 of stave 1 and under a strong pull in the direction of the arrow A (i.e. the direction of the warp threads) holds itself against the guide 4.

In FIGURE 4 a section of the guide 4 is shown which for the time being is not put on a frame stave. Between the two distancing pieces 8 and 9, the spring strip 11 is bent outwards in this non-working position along with the glide protector 19 and with the guide 4 fitted, as shown in FIGURE 1, is pressed back so that the two feet 15 and 16 are drawn against the inner edge of the frame stave 1.

For fitting the guide 4 on the stave 1, the lower ends of the two guide plates 5 and 6 are, by means of the tongues 17-18 are spread apart so far that they can be pushed over and astride the frame stave 1. As soon as the spring strip 11 engages the glide protector 19 on the upper edge of stave 1, the guide is pressed so far against stave 1 that the two feet 15 and 16 snap in over the lower edge of stave 1. Through the pressure of the glide protector 19 the shaft guide 4 is effectively secured against any displacement along the stave 1. With the feet 15, 16 snapped in position, the guide 4 sits snugly on the stave and the legs of its two guide plates 5, 6 are bound to be drawn against the side surfaces of the stave. They cannot protrude laterally and thereby enlarge the pitch of the harness in their region or get stuck at the change of shed.

The guide 22 shown in FIGURE 5 is very similar to that shown in FIGURES 1 to 4 and the same reference numerals are used for identical parts. However, the spring strip fastener 11 is replaced by a spring strip 23 and a spring strip fastener 24. The strip 23 embraces at its ends the distance pieces 7 and 8, but the fastener 24 is formed as a cranked lever with a lower arm 26 on which there is carried a friction grip 25, and an upper arm 27. At the junction of its two arms, the strip is formed into a portion which embraces more than half the circumference of the distance piece 9 (so that it has to be snapped Onto that distance piece) thereby providing a pivot for the member 24. The upper end of the arm 26 is formed into a handle 28 and a dented portion 29 which can be engaged with the distance piece 7 as shown to hold the member 24 in such a position that it presses the grip 25 onto the frame stave 1. This secures the guide against movement along the stave.

If the handle 28 is pulled outwardly, the dent 29 disengages the distance piece 7 and the member 24 turns about its pivot on the distance piece 9. The guide 22 can then be moved along the stave as required and locked again in a new position. By use of a suitable tool both the spring strips 23 and 24 can be released from the distance pieces for replacement.

In both constructions, the strips 11, 23 and 24 are made wide enough to fill the distance between the two side plates 5 and 6, so as to prevent fibrous material collecting between the said plates.

The guide described can easily be put on and taken off the frame stave. This advantage is considerable, for heddle frames cannot, for automatic drawing-in, be inserted with guides in all drawing-in machines. Likewise, fixed guides have a disturbing effect in the storing of heddle frames, because they increase considerably the space required. Besides it is often advisable in washing and then drying the loom harness, to remove the guides for a short time.

In the assembled state the guide is secured against displacement along the frame stave and there is a guarantee that the staves cannot, because of displaced guides, chafe and thereby damage each other. In contrast to all known stave guides it is constructed as a hollow body. In spite of this the spring strip 10 makes sure that the space between guide plates 5, 6 is enclosed. Thus these guides increase the weight of the heddle frames only a very small extent and this is of special importance in fast running looms. Accumulations of dust and fluff between the side plates are prevented and cannot therefore fall into the warp and cause weaving faults.

The actual glide surfaces of the guide plates that prop themselves against the glide surface of the guide of the adjacent heddle frame correspond roughly to the outer surface of the guide plates, hence there is the greatest possible exploitation of the top surface of the guide. Because this interchangeable guide reaches as far as the inner edge of the stave, it does not protrude much beyond the stave so that the stave guides can bear on each other even at the greatest shed movement. High guides reduce the supervision by weavers and hinder the threading of broken warp threads.

If on the part of the guide overtopping the outer edge of the stave a pressure is exerted in the direction of arrow A in FIGURE 2, on the flat side of the guide, the legs 15, 16 (FIGURES l and 3) which clasp the rounded inner edge of frame stave 1 at an acute angle undernearth are pulled against the stave. Thus they cannot in any way project outwards from the stave or drift loose, nor can the stave guide deviate laterally.

'It is also possible to leave this guide on the stave while washing and drying the 100m harness, but with glued on guides, because of the different rates of expansion and contraction of wood and plastic on the one hand and of the stave on the other, this leads in the long run to the loosening of the glued connections.

Because the guide does not engage the longitudinal profile of the stave, it does not have to be displaced as far as the end of the stave in order to be taken off. It is even more advantageous when, as is the case with broad heddle frames, two or more guides are required on each of the upper and lower staves. Besides, this guide can be put on and taken off without the necessity of also displacing or removing the raising and lowering elements that are also attached to the frame stave.

What I claim is:

1. A detachable guide for the horizontal stave of a heddle frame of a loom, said guide comprising a pair of spaced parallel guide plates, spacing means between the upper portions of said plates for spacing the same a fixed distance apart, the lower portions of each guide plate forming resilient legs engaging opposite side walls of said stave and having outer surfaces disposed in the same planes as the outer surfaces of the upper portions of said guide plates, an inturned foot on the lower end of each of said legs, said legs being spaced apart by such a distance that they have to be forced apart to enable said feet to pass transversely over said stave, whereby said feet clasp the inside edge of said stave when said guide is in position on said stave, and said connected guide plates are on the outside of said stave, and resilient fastening means for exerting pressure on the outside edge of said stave.

2. A detachable guide according to claim 1, wherein each of said feet is bent through more than 90 relatively to said leg on which it is formed so that said leg and said feet together include an acute angle.

3. A detachable guide according to claim 1, wherein each of said feet extends only a portion of the width of said leg along said leg on which it is formed, the remainder of the lower part of said leg forming a hand grip which is disposed on the inside of said stave when said guide is in position thereon.

4. A detachable guide according to claim 3, wherein each of said hand grips is bent inwardly relatively to said leg, so that said leg and said hand grip together subtend an obtuse angle.

5. A detachable guide according to claim 1, wherein said resllient fastening means is disposed between the upper portions of said guide plates.

6. A detachable guide according to claim 1, wherein said resilient fastening means is disposed between the upper portions of said guide plates, said fastening means comprising a spring steel strip provided on a portion extending parallel to the stave with a friction grip for engaging the outside edge of said stave when said guide is in position on said stave.

7. A detachable guide according to claim 1, wherein said resilient fastening means is disposed between the upper portions of said guide plates, said resilient fastening means being of the same width as the space between said guide plates.

8. A detachable guide according to claim 1, wherein said spacing means comprise a plurality of distance pieces disposed between the upper portions of said guide plates and said resilient fastening means includes a spring strip supported by said distance pieces.

9. A detachable guide according to claim 6, wherein said spring strip forms a cranked lever, a part of which embraces one of a plurality of distance pieces forming said spacing means to pivot said lever thereon, said friction grip being attached to a portion of said lever which faces the outside edge of said stave when said guide is in position on said stave, another portion of said spring strip being formed as a handle.

10. A detachable guide according to claim 6, wherein said spring strip forms a cranked lever, a part of which embraces one of a plurality of distance pieces forming said spacing means to pivot said lever thereon, said friction grip being attached to a portion of said lever which faces the outside edge of said stave when said guide is in position on said stave, another portion of said spring strip being formed as a handle, said last named handle portion also providing a portion which engages another one of said distance pieces to cause said spring strip to urge said friction grip into engagement with said stave.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,611,396 12/1926 Wattie 139- 88 3,251,383 5/1966 Kaufmann 139-91 FOREIGN PATENTS 1,007,091 2/1952 France.

927,019 4/1955 Germany.

574,573 3/ 1958 Italy.

344,384 3/ 1960 Switzerland.

JAMES KEE CHI, Primary Examiner. 

